These are the best vegan morning glory muffins! They are hearty and rich in texture, filled with crushed and ground fruit, carrots, flax seeds, nuts, and shredded coconut. Muffins provide healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, and fiber for your daily nutrition, and they’re a great breakfast option for busy weeks.
In college, the campus cafe nearest my dorm sold a plump, nutty, raisin-studded muffin called Morning Glory.
I remember ordering one at the beginning of my first semester and thinking I’d never had a muffin like this before.
Most of the muffins I know and love are on the sweet side. They are chocolate chip muffins, breaded muffins, double chocolate muffins, and lemon poppy seed muffins. They are all delicious but not entirely healthy.
Morning glory muffins are hearty and healthy. However, they are also sweet and tender, a treat for me to eat with coffee before class.
I’ve never heard of Morning Glory muffins. For a while, they were unique to the little cafe they sold on campus.
I later learned that these muffins are not a local specialty. They have a loyal fan base (including me).
Despite my ups and downs with food during college, muffins remained a steady source of enjoyment.
I have some happy memories of being somewhere on campus, sitting outside eating them, watching other students come and go, doodling in a notebook during class, and watching the sun rise over my dorm room.
After many iterations, I finally devised a vegan morning glory muffin that rivaled what I remembered.
What are morning glory muffins?
If you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing one of these muffins before, you’re in for a treat.
Google “morning glory muffins,” and you’ll find a variety of recipes. Some call it pineapple; some call it apple; some have grated carrots, some don’t; some have coconuts, some have raisins, and some have both.
You’ll find these muffins to be healthy in any recipe.
They are so wholesome that I’ve seen someone describe them as “the hippie muffin of a health food store (if there is one).”
If that means a sturdy little muffin with a lot of fiber, then yes.
The original Morning Glory muffins were made in 1978 by a chef named PAM McKintree. At the time, she owned a restaurant called the Morning Glory Cafe in Nantucket.
The cafe closed in 1994, but McKintry’s muffins had already gained a national following. A reader asked Gourmet magazine for the recipe, which was published in 1981.
By 1991, the magazine had selected muffins as one of the 25 most popular recipes of the past 50 years.
The original muffin recipe included coconut, carrots, apples, raisins, nuts, and pineapple cubes. It also contains a lot — a whole tablespoon! – Cinnamon.
My vegetarian recipe reduces the amount of cinnamon, giving you a choice of applesauce or crushed pineapple. I prefer the latter’s taste as it is a more unique ingredient in baking. But people who cook at home are likelier to keep applesauce in their pantry. Both are possible.
Speaking of which, let’s take a look at the muffin ingredients one by one.
Vegetarian Morning Glory muffin ingredients
Rarely have I been able to make so many nutritious muffin recipes in one place! Here’s a list of things you’ll need.
Medium flour
I use unbleached all-purpose flour for these muffins and most of my vegan muffin recipes.
A few years ago, while writing for Food52, I made a recipe for morning glory muffins using whole wheat flour.
I kept retesting and repeating the recipe, and over time, I found that even whole wheat pastry flour made these muffins a little too dense. They’ve got a lot of heavyweight mixes; Whole wheat flour makes them thicker.
All-purpose flour will soften the muffins and counteract the sweet and greasy ingredients.
Ground flaxseed
Eggs shouldn’t be replaced in every vegetarian diet. Sometimes, I don’t eat egg replacements.
In other recipes, a flax egg—that is, a tablespoon of ground flax seed and 3 tablespoons of water thickened with water —can help the dish stick. So it is with this dish.
Flaxseed also adds fiber and healthy Omega-3 fatty acids to muffins.
Crushed pineapple or applesauce
This is the fruit ingredient in the recipe.
I use applesauce all the time when baking, so pineapple is a very interesting choice. The shredded coconut in the muffin also goes well.
However, if you don’t have canned crushed pineapple at home, applesauce can also be used in recipes.
You can substitute a ripe banana puree if you do not have either of these fruits.
Grated carrots
It’s always a win when a nutritious vegetable can slip gracefully into a breakfast muffin.
Carrots, apples, or pineapple add a natural sweetness to the dish. They also add color, texture, fiber, and the antioxidant beta-carotene.
If you don’t have carrots at home, grated zucchini will also work. The muffins will be a little less orange and a little less sweet.
A grated apple
Although the muffin may already contain applesauce, the grated apple will add more moisture, texture, fiber, and sweetness.
Grated pears are also a good option if you still need an apple.
Brown sugar
Speaking of sweetness, these muffins also have some brown sugar in them.
I like to bake with light brown sugar, but dark brown sugar also works. Coconut sugar is also a good option; it has a lovely, almost burnt sugar taste.
raisin
I know raisins can be controversial – I’m always amazed at how many people don’t like them – but I love them.
Raisins add a delicious, juicy, chewy pocket to muffins and instant breads. I use them in my applesauce spice cake, chewy vegan oatmeal raisin cookies, and other baked goods.
Raisins will add juiciness and (you guessed it) extra texture to your vegan morning glory muffins.
walnut
Walnuts add a hint of nutty flavor and crunch to the muffins.
I love baking with walnuts because walnuts are a nutritious nut.
Walnuts are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. They are also particularly rich in antioxidants, including vitamin E and various polyphenols, linked to heart-protecting effects.
If you are allergic to walnuts, don’t eat them, or don’t like them, you can substitute chopped pecans, almonds, or cashews.
You can also swap crushed nuts for seeds, or you can skip nuts altogether.
coconut
If you’ve read my blog for a while, you’ll remember that coconut isn’t one of my favorite flavors. Therefore, I use it conservatively in my recipes.
Even so, there’s a time and a place for grated coconut and its slightly sweet, distinctive flavor. Morning glory muffins are one such place.
In fact, I think coconut is what makes muffins different; without it, they’re no different from my carrot and grape dry muffins or apple and bran muffins.
There’s not a lot of grated coconut in a muffin, but that’s important from a flavor standpoint. Be sure to use unsweetened grated coconut, not sweetened.
spice
Who else is ready for the scent of cinnamon and ginger that permeates the home as something delicious and sweet bakes in the oven?
Of course, I am. This aroma is one of my favorite things about autumn.
These muffins contain cinnamon and ginger. You can also add a little cardamom, allspice, or cloves.
Apple cider vinegar
Specifically, I use homemade vegan buttermilk to puff up muffins in my recipes. The acids in the buttermilk allow the baking powder and baking soda to work, activating their chemical leavening properties.
So many ingredients add moisture to vegan morning glory muffins that buttermilk is unnecessary.
However, the acid is still important for the muffins’ fermentation. The recipe includes a little apple cider vinegar.
Avocado oil
Sometimes, I make muffins with melted vegan butter.
However, avocado oil is my choice when I want a completely neutral flavor.
For these muffins, I didn’t want the flavor of butter to compete with the taste of coconut or other delicious ingredients in the muffins, so I used avocado oil.
Instead of avocado oil, you can use canola, grapeseed, safflower, or mild-tasting olive oil.
Can muffins be made gluten-free?
Yes, muffins can be gluten-free.
I don’t recommend using just one gluten-free flour in your muffins—for example, oat flour, almond flour, or chickpea flour.
However, a gluten-free all-purpose flour mix works well in this recipe. My favorite is King Arthur, which is afoot for a foot of flour.
How to make vegetarian morning glory muffins
Step 1: Prepare the mixture
There are many toppings for Morning Glory muffins, such as apples, carrots, and nuts. Preparing them is actually the most time-consuming step in this recipe.
So, Grate the carrots and apples, chop the walnuts, and mix them with everything else.
While doing this, you can preheat the oven and line the muffin pan with a liner.
Then, making muffins is easy.
Step 2: Prepare the flax eggs
In a small bowl, combine ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of warm water. This is the flax “egg” that will help bind the muffins and give them structure.
Allow the mixture to thicken and continue cooking.
Step 3: Stir the dry ingredients together
For this step, you’ll need a large mixing bowl. The muffins will produce a lot of batter, so that’s the bowl.
Make a hole in the middle of the dry ingredients when you’re done.
Step 4: Mix wet ingredients
Mix the oil, applesauce or pineapple, sugar, and vinegar (or lemon juice) in a separate bowl.
The wet ingredients will be added to the dry ingredients, along with the flax “eggs.”
Put the wet ingredients in the center of the bowl with the dry ingredients.
You want to mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients until it’s well mixed. The batter is going to look thick, that’s okay. The apples and carrots that you’re going to add will make the batter a little bit softer.
Step 5: Add the mixture to the batter
Now it’s time to put in all the mixture you’ve prepared. Stir with a spatula and elbow oil until the mixture is evenly distributed in the batter.
Your batter will appear thick until you add carrots, crushed apples, raisins, coconut, and walnuts.
Step 6 Bake
Transfer 1/2 cup batter to the prepared muffin tin, being careful not to overfill. This is crucial as it allows the muffins to expand perfectly.
Transfer the muffin pan to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Your goal is for the top of the muffin to be domed, firm, evenly colored, and golden.
You can use a toothpick to check if the muffin is done, but I’m looking for a slight dome on the top and a golden-brown color.
Step 7: Cool and enjoy (or store)
After cooling the muffins for about 20 minutes, you can finally open them and indulge in their delightful combination of a cute, sweet coconut flavor and a healthy, satisfying texture.
The inside of the muffin is moist, soft, and studded with nuts, fruit, and carrots.
Meal preparation and storage
These muffins are a great choice for nutritious weekly meal preparation. They can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you want to store them for longer, they can be frozen for up to 8 weeks. To thaw, simply leave them at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
I label the muffins “breakfast muffins,” yes, they’re an excellent choice for a vegetarian breakfast. I like to start the day with them more than any other muffin.
Of course, you can also enjoy muffins at other times of the day. Due to their fiber content, they make a tremendous and long-lasting snack.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (8g)
- 3 tablespoons water (45ml)
- 2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour (240g)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 6 tablespoons avocado oil (90ml)
- 8 ounces crushed pineapple or applesauce (225g, or 1 cup)
- 3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar (150g)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 medium scrubbed and grated carrots (1 1/4 cups / 100g)
- 1 large peeled and grated apple (3/4 cup / 110g)
- 1/2 cup raisins (70g)
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (30g)
- 1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (20g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin pan or two with a liner. Alternatively, use a non-stick muffin pan or lightly oil a regular muffin pan to prevent sticking to the muffin pan.
- In a small bowl, combine ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of warm water. Allow the mixture to thicken and continue cooking.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger.
- In a separate bowl, mix the oil, applesauce or pineapple, sugar, vinegar, or lemon juice. Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, followed by the flax mixture. Stir until the batter is well combined. Add the carrots and apples to thicken.
- Add grated carrots, apples, raisins, walnuts and coconut. Stir well.
- Transfer 1/2 cup batter to the prepared muffin tin. Transfer the muffin pan to the oven. Bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes until the top is rounded and the edges are browned. Remove the muffins to a cooling rack and cool for 20 minutes before serving.
- Muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 8 weeks.
